A light emitting diode (“LED”) produces light by as a result of passing electrical energy through particular solid components. In incandescent lamps, where electrical energy also is passed through a solid component, namely the filament, most of the electrical energy delivered to the lamp is converted to heat. A small portion is converted to light. In an LED lamp, the process is more efficient in several respects, including:
a) less electrical energy is consumed, and
b) the majority of that energy is converted to light energy as opposed to heat energy.
Fluorescent lamps, including compact fluorescent lamps (hereafter the term “CFL” shall refer to both) work differently, in that instead of passing electrical energy through a solid component, the electrical energy is passed through a container holding a gas mixture typically comprising mercury and argon. First, ballast electronic circuitry converts the electrical energy from typically 120 V sinusoidal alternating current and 60 Hz, to full-wave rectification, to square-wave alternating current at much higher frequency, back to sinusoidal wave form at much higher voltage. The ballast causes the required initial “strike” electrical characteristics needed to ignite, and the post-strike characteristics that allow the CFL to operate thereafter. The resulting reaction generates heat as well ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light, in turn excites fluorescent coating (phosphor) inside the container. That excitation produces visible light. As with the LED, the CFL lamp is more efficient than the incandescent lamp in that less electrical energy is consumed, and the majority of that energy is converted to light energy as opposed to heat energy. However, the efficiency of an LED lamp exceeds that of the CFL lamp. The CFL requires more electrical energy to produce the same amount of light as an LED lamp, and produces more heat per radiated light.
In all lamps, some of the heat produced is transferred into the lamp itself and into surrounding components. Particularly for LED and CFL lamps, this heat, although considerably less than generated by incandescent technology, can cause damage: to the LED itself or to the ballast electronics of the CFL. It is essential that this heat is transferred away quickly, sufficiently, and efficiently in order to avoid damaging the lamp.
In particular, an LED that has been exposed to high heat will likely lose efficiency, produce less light, and have a greatly reduced service life. Because of increasing efficiencies and lower costs of LED technology, and lingering problems related to mercury and the disposal of CFL lamps, LED technology will likely prevail. Thus, a need exists for high-performance heat sinks capable of removing the heat generated by LEDs.